Staging Dreams

Over the Memorial Day weekend my daughter purchased her first home and I went to help her move and make the house her own.  Staging to Live is different than when you are selling your property.  It may involve updating your existing home or making a newly purchased property your home.  Either way, Staging to Live is a way to bring your personality and possessions together to form a reflection of who you are and what you like.  It doesn’t have to be expensive, you don’t have to buy all new furniture, and it doesn’t have to take days and days to do.

As you can see from the before and after photos, in my daughter’s case painting the walls in both the kitchen made a big difference in improving the look of the townhouse.  We picked a soothing green color that both brightened up the formerly dark purple kitchen and brought a serene feel to the master bedroom.  All the accessories and furniture in those rooms she already had, except for the 2 green pillows on the bed - we just incorporated them in the new space.

For the living room and dining area the wall color remained the same and the dining table and credenza were purchased from the seller as they coordinated so well with my daughter’s existing furniture.  Bringing in the pops of red brightened up the neutrals of the beiges and black, giving a great contemporary feel.

Too many new homeowners are confused on where to place furniture and hesitant to hang things on the wall.  I’ve heard of friends living in a place for years and they still hadn’t hung anything on their walls.  They worry the things they already own won’t work in the new space, or want to purchase a few new things but aren’t sure what will work.  An Accredited Staging Professional will help bring it all together, through paint color selection, arrangement of furniture, accessorizing, and even helping to pick out new purchases.

Give me call and with just a few hours of work we can turn your residence into your home!

******************************************************************************************************

The Master Bedroom Before Staging                                               Master Bedroom After Staging

******************************************************************************************************* 

Kitchen Before Staging                                                                   Kitchen After Staging

*********************************************************************************************************

Living Room before Staging                                                       Living Room after Staging

****************************************************************************************************

Dining area before Staging                                                          Dining area after Staging

I was privileged to share some time (and dinner) with Barb Schwarz, the lady who started the whole concept of Home Staging, in March when she visited Nashville to speak at the ERA Realtors national convention.  It was so wonderful to share stories with her and members of our Nashville Regional Chapter of the International Assoc. of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP).  Her joy, true caring, and enthusiasm were inspiring.

It was through reading Barb’s book Home Staging, The Winning Way to Sell Your House For More Money that I realized I was ready to change careers and embark on becoming a Home Stager.  I had helped out friends and acquaintances through the years who were trying to sell their home, or who were just wanting a makeover of their space, but I hadn’t known what Staging really was until I read this book.  It re-affirmed what I had done for people in the past and opened up a whole new life for me.  I left my prior job, took the Accredited Staging Professional Class, and started Staging Dreams here in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

When Barb started Home Staging, she did so because as a Realtor she realized how important it was that a house show it’s best assets for buyers, rather than just reflect how the seller has been living in the house.  By “Staging the scene” a house that was once cluttered, outdated, too personalized, and crowded becomes a showplace where buyers can envision themselves living.   Buyers tend to only see the way a house is, not it’s potential.  Through her training program and continuing education programs our IAHSP Chapter offers, I have gained better understanding of Home Staging, it’s benefits, and how to incorporate those ideas into my business.  I have become an active member in our IAHSP Chapter, and in fact am the Chapter President for 2010.

I love what I do and how what I do can really make a difference in selling a house.  Not many jobs have the reward of such visible results of your work, but “before” and “after” pictures really show what Staging can do when selling a house.  We all have different talents, and this is one of mine.  I know some sellers or Realtors think that by placing a scented candle in the bathroom or setting a plant in the corner they have Staged the space, but it is much more than that.  You have to take into consideration the style of the house, the demographics of the potential buyers for this property, and how to play up the best features of the house.  Decluttering, neutralizing and depersonalizing are the big three Staging concepts.  Explaining these keys to sellers helps them realize Staging is not a repudiation of the sellers style, but rather a marketing tool to make their home a competitive product in the real estate market.

Thanks Barb, for not just putting a name to what I help sellers do, but for creating a professional field that is national recognized among real estate professionals!

I’ve noticed that I’m getting more and more calls lately to Stage vacant homes.  Although I’m adamant that a vacant house needs Staging, don’t wait until the owners have moved out to bring in the services of a professional Home Stager.   Those days, weeks, and months on the market for a house that hasn’t been Staged are money down the drain.

There’s hardly a house on the market that couldn’t use some level of Staging to really help it look its best.  Most homeowners over time have overlooked the build up of clutter in their home, or have put off updating rooms, and don’t realize the competition they are up against in this current real estate market.  By not dealing with these issues before the property is even listed you’re taking a chance on missing out on an early sale.  Buyers see the way things are, not the potential of a space, and clutter eats equity.

Realtors know that the most activity on a listing usually occurs when the house first hits the MLS.  Why waste all those early potential buyers on a home that looks “well-used” versus a house that’s been Staged?  Before you post that listing have an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) do a walk through and assessment of the house.  Get it in tip top showing condition before that first buyer walks through the door.

Some may argue that they’ll wait to see if the house will sell on it’s own without the assistance of Staging, not wanting to put any extra money into the marketing of the property, but statistics show that the investment in Staging is always less than your first price reduction.  With all the different levels and price points of Staging an ASP can offer, there’s something to fit every budget, and therefore no excuse to delay until the house becomes vacant.  A vacant house feels cold, abandoned, echoes, and leads many buyers to think the seller is desperate and willing to sell for a low ball offer.

 Don’t wait until the house is an empty shell.  Delaying is a disservice both to the sellers and the Realtor.  Each month of an additional mortgage payment, keeping the house ready to show at all times, and the uncertainty of wondering if the house will sell in a timely fashion are stresses that can very likely be mitigated by calling in a ASP before putting the house on the market.  Call an Accredited Home Stager today!